Warren Wilson Students Power Global Human Rights Work Through Data Science

At Warren Wilson College, learning doesn’t stop at the classroom—it extends into real-world partnerships that tackle urgent global challenges. A new collaboration between Warren Wilson’s Data Science students and Inclusive Development International (IDI) is a powerful example of what that looks like in action.

Based right here in Asheville, IDI works on the frontlines of human rights and environmental justice, supporting communities around the world to hold powerful financial institutions accountable when projects they invest in cause harm. Their latest innovation—a suite of open-access “follow the money” tools—makes it easier than ever to track where development and other international finance is flowing and who is responsible for its impacts.

Warren Wilson students are now helping make that work possible.

From Classroom to Global Impact

While the formal community-engaged partnership will launch in Fall 2026 through MAT 2110: Principles of Computer Science (commonly known as “Python”), students have already been diving in.

A small but dedicated “scraping squad”—made up of advanced students, interns, and volunteers—has been meeting weekly in Spidel Hall to support IDI’s data efforts. Together, they are scraping and structuring complex financial data that feeds directly into IDI’s research and advocacy tools.

This isn’t theoretical—it’s already shaping how researchers and advocates understand global finance. In a recent webinar (linked below), IDI highlighted Norges Bank, a major European pension fund, as part of a case study—showing how data tools that allow advocates to identify such investors can be game changing when those investors use their leverage with companies to change conditions on the ground. Pension funds can play a critical role in advancing corporate and financial accountability in this way, as they are often more responsive to concerns raised by communities affected by internationally-financed development projects.

Building on this momentum, Warren Wilson students are expanding IDI’s shareholder tracker by identifying additional pension funds and automating data collection. This includes automating existing entries—such as Norges Bank—which was recently completed by WWC student Jackie Yeargin as part of their ongoing internship.

Building Skills That Matter

For students, the collaboration offers something rare: the chance to build technical skills while contributing to authentic, high-impact work.

“It’s been a really sweet introduction to coding-based work because I’m a math major and haven’t done a lot of data science,” said Vera Dorsey (she/her), a Math and Philosophy major. “It really intertwines with a lot of the interesting partnerships within the community that Wilson has as a whole. Specifically for data science and math, sometimes it feels like they exist in a vacuum so it’s nice to connect them with the outside world.”

Students aren’t just learning Python—they’re learning how data can be used as a tool for justice.

“It’s a lot of fun and I’m able to improve my coding skills while also contributing to a larger project that’s contributing tangible good,” said Jackie Yeargin (they/them), who is currently interning with IDI.

Following the Money to Drive Accountability

IDI’s new open-access tools—highlighted in their recent announcement and expanded through partnerships with leading data science institutions—are designed to make complex financial systems more transparent.

By aggregating and structuring data from sources like development banks, export credit agencies, and pension funds, these tools allow journalists, researchers, and impacted communities to trace financial flows and identify who is funding harmful projects.

This kind of transparency is critical. When communities can follow the money, they gain leverage to demand accountability, challenge harmful development practices, and advocate for more just and sustainable alternatives.

Warren Wilson students are contributing directly to that mission—helping transform raw, unstructured data into actionable insight.

“We’re incredibly grateful to Inclusive Development International for bringing Warren Wilson students into this work. Our data science students often want to channel their talents and learning into something that contributes positively to societal and environmental justice, and this opportunity lets them engage in challenging work with clear and powerful impact. Seeing our contributions live in the shareholder tracker, well, that’s a feeling you just want to bottle up and hold on to forever. It’s simultaneously humbling and inspiring to know that you’ve been a real part of something so much bigger than yourself that is helping communities across the globe. We are so thankful for this partnership, and we hope to maintain it for a long time,” said Dr. Christopher Potvin, Professor of Data Science at Warren Wilson College.

A Local Partnership with Global Reach

What makes this collaboration especially meaningful is its local roots.

IDI is based just minutes from Warren Wilson’s campus in downtown Asheville, making this a true community partnership with global implications. Students are not only gaining hands-on experience—they’re building relationships with practitioners working at the highest levels of human rights advocacy.

This is the kind of experiential learning that defines a Warren Wilson education: applied, collaborative, and grounded in real-world impact.

What’s Next

The partnership will formally expand in Fall 2026 through the MAT 2110 Python course, creating a structured pipeline for students to engage with IDI’s work through coursework, in addition to the internships and independent projects that have already been established.

In the meantime, the Thursday afternoon scraping sessions continue—small in scale, but already making a significant contribution to a global effort for transparency and justice.

Learn More

You can explore IDI’s new data tools and hear directly from their team in a recent webinar:
Follow the Money Tools Demonstration and Q&A

This collaboration is a reminder that even small teams—meeting in a classroom in Asheville—can help power work that reaches across the globe.